---

Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in what ways the Integrated Children's Register is different from the Child Protection Register. [195323] Margaret Hodge: A child protection register is a central register which is maintained for each area covered by a social services department. The register should list all the children resident in the area (including those who have been placed there by another local authority or agency) who are considered to be at continuing risk of significant harm, and for whom there is a child protection plan. Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999) sets out that the principal purpose of the register is to make agencies and professionals aware of those children who are judged to be at continuing risk of significant harm and in need of active safeguarding. Agencies and professionals who have concerns about a child are able to make enquiries of the register. It is essential, therefore, that both police and health professionals have access to the register through the custodian of the register both in and outside office hours. The Integrated Children's System provides a single approach to undertaking the key processes of assessment, planning, intervention and review based on an understanding of children's developmental needs in the context of their families and communities. The Integrated Children's System is for use by social services, in collaboration with other agencies with responsibility for children in need under the Children Act 1989. The Government explained, in Keeping Children Safe (2003), its response to the Victoria Climbie report that we will phase out the child protection register as the ICS is introduced. The ICS will hold all the necessary information about the child, including whether any child protection enquires under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 have ever been undertaken about the child, whether they are considered to be in ongoing need of protection, and whether they have a child protection plan. As a result, the child protection register will become unnecessary.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

195323; 426 c1530W;426 c1534W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Access Children Databases Protection Social services

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk